How Long Do Dog Breeds Live?

Updated November 29, 2020

We all know that different dog breeds can have very different lifespans. Here are the best figures we have from three recent English studies. Please read this first to help you understand the figures.

Problems with breed lifespan data

dog lifespan data
Dogs less than 10kg and over 20kg at Walkerville Vet. Ages are shown as a percentage of the total for that group.
  1. The figures quoted are median lifespans. Juvenile deaths are included which lower the median. For example, a six-year-old dog having already survived that long will therefore expect a higher median lifespan than these figures suggest for all dogs from puppyhood. The ages should still be valid as a comparison between breeds.
  2. Studies use self-reported data and often get response rates of only one in four. This will tend to create reporting bias where people are more likely to send back data for atypical results such as early deaths. The data below doesn’t include breeds with very low numbers or response rates.
  3. These studies use old data. All three studies use data for dogs who died before the study date and therefore didn’t have access to many recent advances in veterinary care. This may mean modern lifespans are generally older but it may also explain the idea (myth?) that large dogs die sooner. Look at this recent data from our clinic on 800 living patients. If you can see any difference between large and small dog lifespans you’re doing better than me. Read why I think old dogs now live longer than they used to.

Dog Breed Lifespan Chart

Dog breed longevity in the table below comes from three UK studies, which are the most recent and probably most similar to Australian dogs. View each dog breed here.

DOG BREEDADAMS(2010)MICHELL(1999)O’NEILL(2013)
Afghan Hound11 y , 11 m12
Airedale Terrier10 y , 9 m11.2
Akita9 y , 11 m
Alaskan Malamute10 v , 8 m
American Cocker Spaniel10 y , 4 m12.5
Australian Cattle Dog11 y , 8 m
Australian Shepherd9 y
Australian Silky Terrier14 y , 3 m
Basenji13 y , 7 m
Basset Hound11 y , 4 m12.8
Beagle12 y , 8 m13.3
Bearded Collie13 y , 6 m12.313.7
Bedlington Terrier13 y , 5 m14.3
Belgian Shepherd12 y , 6 m
Bernese Mountain Dog8 y7
Bichon Frise12 y , 11 m12.7
Border Collie12 y , 3 m1313.5
Border Terrier14 y13.812
Borzoi9 y , 1 m
Boston Terrier10 y , 11 m
Bouvier Des Flandres11 y , 4 m
Boxer10 y , 3 m10.410
Briard11 y , 2 m
British Bulldog6 y , 3 m6.78.4
Brittany12 y , 11 m
Bull Terrier10 y12.911.2
Bullmastiff7 y , 6 m8.6
Cairn Terrier14 y13.213.4
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel11 y , 5 m10.79.9
Chihuahua 137.1
Chinese Crested10 y , 1 m
Chow Chow13.5
Cocker Spaniel11 y , 2 m11.811.5
Cross Breed13.213.1
Dachshund12 y , 8 m12.2
Dalmatian12 y , 6 m1313.3
Deerhound 9.5
Dobermann10 y , 6 m9.89.2
Dogue de Bordeaux3 y, 10 m*5.5
English Setter11 y , 7 m11.2
English Springer Spaniel12 y1313.3
Finnish Lapphund7 y , 4 m
Finnish Spitz11 y , 2 m
Flatcoated Retriever9 y , 10 m9.5
Fox Terrier13 y , 2 m
French Bulldog9 y
German Shepherd Dog10.311
German Shorthaired Pointer12.3
German Pinscher11 y , 5 m
Golden Retriever12 y , 3 m1212.5
Gordon Setter11 y , 1 m11.3
Great Dane6 y , 6 m8.46
Greyhound9 y , 1 m13.210.8
Griffon Bruxellois12 y
Havanese10 y, 3 m*
Hungarian Vizsla12.5
Irish Setter12 y11.8
Irish Wolfhound7 y6.2
Italian Greyhound13 y , 6 m
Italian Spinone9 y
Jack Russell Terrier13.613.4
Japanese Chin9 y , 3 m
Keeshond12 y , 2 m
King Charles Spaniel10.112
Labrador Retriever12 y , 3 m12.612.5
Lhasa Apso14 y , 4 m913
Lowchen10 y
Lurcher12.6
Maltese12 y , 3 m
Manchester Terrier12 y , 10 m
Maremma Sheepdog10 y
Miniature Dachshund14.413.5
Miniature Poodle13 y , 11 m14.814.2
Miniature Schnauzer12 y , 1 m8.5
Newfoundland9 y , 8 m
Norfolk Terrier10
Old English Sheepdog10 y , 9 m11.8
Pekingese11 y , 5 m13.3
Polish Lowland Sheepdog9 y , 7 m
Pomeranian9 y , 8 m
Portuguese Water Dog11 y , 5 m
Pug Dog11 y
Rhodesian Ridgeback11 y9.1
Rottweiler8 y , 11 m9.88
Rough Collie12.212
Saluki12 y
Samoyed12 y , 6 m11
Schipperke13 y
Scottish Terrier10 y , 3 m1212
Shetland Sheepdog12 y , 6 m13.312.5
Shih Tzu13 y , 2 m13.413.3
Siberian Husky12 y , 7 m
Smooth Collie13
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier12 y , 6 m
St Bernard74.1
Staffordshire Bull Terrier12 y , 9 m1010.7
Standard Poodle12 y12
Swedish Vallhund14 y , 2 m
Tibetan Spaniel14 y , 5 m
Tibetan Terrier14.3
Toy Poodle14 y , 8 m14.4
Weimaraner11 y , 2 m1012.6
Welsh Corgi Cardigan12 y , 2 m11.3*
Welsh Corgi Pembroke12 y , 3 m11.3*
Welsh Springer Spaniel12 y , 7 m11.5
West Highland White Terrier12.813.5
Whippet12 y , 10 m14.3
Wire-haired Fox Terrier13
Yorkshire Terrier12.813.0

*very low numbers, Corgis merged

Also, visit our page on the genetic diseases of different dog breeds.

Related: How to compare dog and human ages | How to give your dog a longer life

References & Comments

Adams, V. J., Evans, K. M., Sampson, J., & Wood, J. L. N. (2010). Methods and mortality results of a health survey of purebred dogs in the UK. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 51(10), 512-524. This study used data from questionnaires sent to members of breed clubs in the UK. Breeds were only included when the response rate was at least 15%. Cross breeds were not included.

Michell, A. R. “Longevity of British breeds of dog and its relationships with sex, size, cardiovascular variables and disease.” The Veterinary Record 145.22 (1999): 625-629. Data came from questionnaires sent to owners of UK dogs insured with a large pet insurance company.

O’Neill, D. G., Church, D. B., McGreevy, P. D., Thomson, P. C., & Brodbelt, D. C. (2013). Longevity and mortality of owned dogs in England. The Veterinary Journal, 198(3), 638-643. This study accessed UK veterinary clinic databases.

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By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

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